


Cherry Blossoms in Black

by SomethingSomeone



Series: Roundabout in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Angst and Feels, Byakuya and Renji try their best, Emotional Constipation, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Roller Coaster, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Gen, How Do I Tag, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Kurosaki Ichigo Needs a Hug, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Overprotective friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:33:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22398625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomethingSomeone/pseuds/SomethingSomeone
Summary: Sui Feng misunderstood her emotional experience with Ichigo, and saw something else in him no one had considered. Sadly, perhaps they all went too far again and forgot to ask anything to the source of the discourse before making more rushed decisions.Good news: Squad 6 is going to his rescue.
Series: Roundabout in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1595509
Comments: 10
Kudos: 93





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> So it's 4 a.m., life is a mess, everything is terrible, Ichigo deserves better. That's it that's the entire point of this.
> 
> As always! Treat yoself.
> 
> Thank you all for coming and I hope you enjoy this messy ride of feelings. If you read the first part of this series, then a bigger thank you for staying! Please enjoy.

The only two sounds in the room were the impatient taps on the floor from the short assassin, and the shuffling of papers from the white haired man sitting in front of her. He brought up a hand to stroke his mustache, and made a humming sound before putting down the documents on the desk.

ーAre you sure you wish to proceed with this?ー he asked, staring firmly at Captain Sui Feng.ーThis isn't a procedure that can nor should be taken lightly.

She narrowed her eyes, then answered.

ーAbsolutely. I understand the importance of those files, and I'm sure of my decision. Do not doubt me.

ーVery well. I shall inform the Head Captain of this. You may leave.

ーHow long will it take for these to be ready?

ーIt depends. In the worst case, it could be a month. We'll inform you when they're done, worry not, Captain.

The black haired woman huffed a response, but it came out too low to be understood. She bowed at the man in front of her, Lieutenant Sasakibe, then swiftly left in a single Flash step. The older Soul Reaper frowned momentarily, then sighed in apparent defeat as he picked the papers up and carried them with him out of the room, headed to talk with his Captain at once.

He hadn't wanted to say it out loud, but Captain Sui Feng's proposal was the last, _last_ thing anyone expected.

Knocking softly on the door of the Head Captain's office, he made his presence known before sliding it open and bowing at his superior. The old man turned his head to look at him from his desk, unhooking his concentration to stare at the newly arrived man.

ーSir.

ーLieutenant. More reports so soon?

ーActually, it's a special request. Urgent, and if I may give my opinion, quite serious.

ーShow me.

ーIt's about Ichigo Kurosaki, sir.

✿

Surprisingly, a month it was.

Captain Kuchiki Byakuya was peacefully and diligently doing his morning work and mentally preparing for the incoming day, knowing he had many things to do and many places to attend. With elegance and utter silence, he arranged his scarf and lowered his head, turning his focus on the schedule he had in front of him.

Quietly, his Lieutenant entered the office and bowed to his Captain, who didn't acknowledge his presence, as usual. The red head straightened his back and went over to his desk, then began to organize his own papers for the day with a deep sigh. He glanced over his Captain, wanting to comment on something or crack a joke, but he bit his lip and looked away, knowing it wasn't appropriate to do so during work.

A gasping sound, however, made Renji snap his head towards the noble, and instantly spoke up in worry.

A surprised Byakuya was never a good sign.

ーCaptain? What's the matter? Is everything ok?

The noble recovered his composure after a few seconds, however he didn't stop rereading the file on his hands. He frowned, pressing his lips together with tension.

Worried and curious for what was going on, Renji stood up and walked over Byakuya, leaning on with a respectable distance from him and trying to get a glimpse of the writing.

ーIs that this week's schedule, Captain?ー he wondered out loud, squinting his eyes at the document.

The Captain shook his head, then pointed at a line in the file.

ーWhat… is the meaning of this? I thought everything related to Ichigo Kurosaki had been settled down already.

ーWhat? What's that paper about?

ーCaptain Sui Feng has appointed Kurosaki as… I have never heard this term before.

ー... "Squad Assistant"? What in the world is that?

Renji gasped in shock as he read more of the file, trying to process what the hell the assassin Captain intended to do with his friend. He wasn't a true Shinigami, he had no reason to fulfill official duties nor to be… used, by a Captain. Or not anymore.

A small sense of guilt settled in the redhead's gut, suddenly recalling how much Ichigo had been exploited by them and their weaknesses, to the point of causing him so much pain, deadly wounds, the loss of his powers, even a psychological torture he didn't think he would be able to forget anytime soon. Biting his lip silently, Renji replayed in his mind the memory that had haunted him in nightmares for months, sometimes it still came back and forced him to wake up screaming, covered in cold sweat, unable to rest anymore.

He himself had been one of Ichigo's enemies and had almost killed him. Yet he _still_ called himself his friend.

On the other hand, Byakuya was in no better shape than him. He was simply better at hiding it. Weren't they going too far with the boy? In fact, hadn't they gone too far already? He didn't see how this was necessary in any way. Squad Assistant? Why? Further reading explained the "Substitute Soul Reaper" had done an outstanding job as a member of Squad 2 for a short period of time, and the Captain believed he could be a valuable asset for the… "growth" of other Squads.

What was all that about?

ーCaptain, sir.

Renji's voice interrupted his thoughts, and Byakuya turned his head to lock eyes with his Lieutenant, allowing him to continue. The redhead bowed at him before continuing.

ーPlease allow me to go to the World of the Living and… inform, Ichigo of this.

The Captain sighed quietly.

ーTell me what you really intend to do.ー he practically demanded.

ーI… want to ask if he's ok with this.

ーYou have my permission. Bring a Hell butterfly with you to cross with maximum priority.

Good to see they were both equally worried.

Without wasting anymore time, he bowed and sprinted out of the office with a Flash step, a Hell butterfly trailing behind him a few minutes later. He reached the Senkaimon in no time flat, not stopping to wave at anyone or explain himself. Two Soul reapers stationed to guard the gate bowed at him, but when one of them requested his reason for crossing, the Lieutenant made a gesture for the Butterfly to do its work, quickly making the guards understand they had no right to make questions.

Soon enough, he was stepping out into the World of the Living, taking a deep breath in anticipation, then disappearing again in a rush of speed. By now, he knew the way to Ichigo's house by memory, and found himself stepping on his roof before he expected.

He gulped, and took a deep breath. He knew what he was going to do, the thing now was… actually doing it.

A strange sensation crept up his body, settling on his gut and making him feel like there was a knot in his voice. Huh, that was new. Was guilt finally catching up and preventing him from going down into Ichigo's room and talking to him? Did he unconsciously regret his past actions and felt like it would be cruel to deliver the news to his friend?

ーNo, you dumbass, no, no.ー he smacked himself on his cheeks and muttered self reassuring words. ーYou're not here to inform him. You're here to help. It's easy. Ask him if he agrees, and if he doesn't, go back to Captain Kuchiki and tell him to turn in a complaint to stop Captain Sui-Feng. Perfect plan!

ーWhat are you doing on my roof?

ーWha!

Renji couldn't help the startled, surprised jump that came at hearing Ichigo's voice and seeing his orange hair peeking from the house top's facia. His eyes could barely be seen, but the redhead did notice them scanning him and blinking in comical confusion.

ーDid I scare you?

ーNo, not all at, it was just unexpected! How did you sense me?

ーI didn't. You were talking to yourself.

ーOh.

Rather awkwardly, they stared at each other for a few minutes, Renji unable to speak or move after being caught with his guard low. Ichigo wasn't known for being too patient, however, and soon enough he frowned at his friend.

ーHow long are you planning to stand there?

ーAh- oh! Oh, no, no, I- do you have a minute?

ーWhat?ー the orange haired man now had a puzzled expression on him. That… had come out quite pathetic.

Renji brought a hand up and cleared his throat. Then he tried again.

ーDo you mind inviting me in? I wanted to have a small talk with you if possible?

ーEh… ? Sure thing? Come in. Weird of you to ask for permission.

Swiftly, the Shinigami slid from the roof to the window, then into the room. He turned and locked questioning eyes with Ichigo.

ーWeird? Why?

The orange haired man blinked, then huffed annoyingly. Renji noticed he was wearing casual clothes, not extremely fashionable as to go out. Textbooks and notes were scattered on his bed and his desk, three different pens on his hands awaiting to continue their work.

ーWhen have you _not_ barged into my room for whatever reason you had? Hmph. You sure have a terrible memory.

Oops.

ーOh… have I?

ーYeah. Both you and Rukia do that all the time.

The Lieutenant sat down on the bed, doing his best to not bother the disperse notes on it, and scratched the back of his head nervously.

ーI hadn't noticed. Sorry.

ーIt's ok, well, we're friends after all. I don't really mind at this point.ー Ichigo shrugged the matter off and sat down on his chair, letting himself spin on it once, lifting his legs then setting them down to go back to studying.ーYou wanted to talk about something? Go ahead while I finish these bullet points for my finals.

Renji straightened his back and was about to start talking, when the knot came back. He brought a hand to his neck and rubbed it, coughing a bit to try and clear it. This sensation was becoming quite bothersome. His brain felt numb and completely unnecessary thoughts assaulted him. One of them, the most pressing, insisted on getting Ichigo's full attention for this. This wasn't a tiny matter, if he came to get an answer out of him he would get it on full consciousness of what it meant.

ーIchigo… I need you to listen to me this time.

ーAh, I can do two things at once, no worries!ー he gave a reassuring smile, but Renji violently shook his head.

ーNot this time, I need you to _listen_ to me!

Raising his voice and doing an outburst he himself wasn't expecting, the redhead finally got his friend's full attention- though not by the means he wanted.

Ichigo turned and stared at him wide eyed, his mouth curved downwards in surprise and his frown deepened. He had raised his hands defensively in front of him, a gesture that just helped in increasing Renji's guilt levels.

ーWow. Chill.

ーS-sorry, I'm sorry, Ichigo, I didn't mean to scare you.

ーYou didn't scare me, but it was a surprise. This is gotta be serious now, for you to do that.

ーIt… it _is_ pretty serious and it involves you.

ーHuh. When doesn't it.ー finally, he let go of the pens and spun on his chair to face his tattoo friend decently. He noticed a strange hand motion the orange haired man did while spinning, then saw him raising his arm and showing the Substitute Soul Reaper badge to him. He demanded. ーHow serious is it?

ー... serious, but not dangerous.

Ichigo sighed.

ーWell, at least we can talk about it without swords getting in the way.ー he left his badge on his desk, then leaned back a little. He waved at Renji to continue.

He took a long breath, closed his eyes, and gathered all the courage he thought he had prepared for this. Once he felt ready, he opened his eyes again and locked them firmly with the chocolate brown of his best friend.

ーAre you informed of Captain Sui Feng's idea with you?

Ichigo widened his eyes and shook his head.

ーNo. What's going on? I only got her regards from Yoruichi a few weeks ago, but nothing else.

ーThat's… ok, wow, _rare_ , and congratulations, but it's not the point. She turned in a project- better said, uh, an initiative, for you to take on a more active role in Soul Society.

ーEh?

ーShe wants to appoint you as a Squad assistant.

The Substitute lowered his eyes and muttered a long "oh". There was no other evident reaction, however.

ーI came to see if you were aware of it, and make sure you're okay with it. I came for your consent, I don't want anyone else using you again. Not if Captain Kuchiki and I can help it.

Finally, silence came.

The orange haired man had raised his eyebrows in shock, his eyes wide and his mouth half open. He found a sudden interest on his floor, and scanned it madly with his pupils shifting from side to side. A hand came up to scratch the back of his head, now making weird sounds of confusion.

ーUh… oh… uuh… 

ー...Ichigo?

ーI… I can choose?

ーYeah! Exactly, you can choose this time! That's the point of me being here. I want to know if you want this or not and make sure your decision is respected!

ーOh… oh. Oh. That's- what the fuck.

ーAre you ok?

ーNo.

Renji stuttered, taken back by the words and the strange reaction. He didn't recall saying anything inherently wrong to make his friend feel bad.

ーWha- wait, what's wrong? Ichigo, what happened?ー he awkwardly extended his arm and tried to put his hand on the orange head's shoulder, attempting a reassuring gesture, but he never made contact. His hand lingered on the air, unsure of what to do. He wasn't good in this kind of situations.

The orange haired man snapped his head around, as if expecting a surprise attack. He brought a hand to his lips and absentmindedly bit his thumb. Then he turned to Renji and spoke in a dead serious tone, his eyes shadowed and grimm.

ーAre you _not_ trying to make fun of me?

The tattooed man shook his head energetically.

ーNo, absolutely not. I really want to hear your opinion on this matter.

ーYou're not lying.

ーNo.

ーTrying to troll me?

ーI- what the fuck is "troll"?

ーYou guys are _really_ letting me choose?

ーNot _us._ Me. Well, Captain Kuchiki too, but I wanted to let you choose. I don't think anyone else thought about it.ー he paused, waiting for a reaction, but only got confused blinks and groans of frustration. He quirked his eyebrows in worry. ーHey, buddy? Why is this so upsetting to you?

ーSeriously? You're asking me that?

Without warning, Ichigo stood up and walked around the cramped space that was his room in circles. His thumb never left his mouth now, in fact it was firmly locked inside by his teeth and he munched on his nail. He muttered, practically _growled_ things to himself, and sometimes he let his eyes snap towards Renji and stare at him for a second, before drifting away and thinking about something else.

The Shinigami did his best to hide his surprise at the spectacle he was witnessing, and tried to ignore the pressing brown orbs that went his way sporadically. He felt almost accused by them when they laid on him, and he couldn't help the gulp that came after some minutes of watching his friend struggle in silence.

As if to release the pent up stress, Ichigo sighed deeply and finally turned around, crossing his arms over his chest and casually rubbing his thumb on his clothes, cleaning it from the mess he had made of it.

ーListen. You got me. You caught me off guard. I have no idea what you want me to do.

Renji let his mouth fall open.

ーDid you hear anything of what I said!?

ーI did, I did! I don't know how to answer, geez!

ーIt's a yes or no question! You've made choices in the past, this can't be too hard!

ーNot choices related to Soul Society, you idiot!ー Ichigo rubbed the bridge of his nose anxiously. ーEvery time something happens in Soul Society, I don't have a say in what I want to do! I never thought anyone would just… just, stop by and casually ask me "hey there's this huge thing going around and we were wondering if you wanted to be part of it or not"! How are you expecting me to react?

ーWell no one forced you to go rescue Rukia? Nor go to Hueco Mundo?

ーI didn't know Soul Society back then. And as for Orihime, you forced me to stay still and do nothing. I had to look for my own ways to go there.

ーHey, that's-

ーAnd even before that! Whenever someone from the Seireitei needed something, you came to me and demanded for my help, or that I had to give you shelter and food, or a bunch of stuff that you could perfectly get somewhere else. Rukia and everyone else shrugged it off and thought it was… fun. Relatable. And I ended up growing used to it.

The teenager slumped down on his chair, exhausted, and let a sad groan escape his lips.

ーI never thought you would remember I had feelings too. I don't know how to react.

He couldn't find it in him to talk back. The Lieutenant stared at his friend, and his brows were furrowed in worry and guilt. He was right, there was no doubt, but it hurt to face the reality of what they had done so far. He sighed as he thought about what Ichigo had said, practically rambling and stumbling on his own words; had they made fun of him that badly? Had they made him feel like a clown? Yet Ichigo, the Substitute Soul Reaper left behind, was always still there for him, for them.

The redhead lifted his eyes and focused on his best friend. He was about to speak and try to comfort him of this contained… _rage_ , these silent frustrations, when Ichigo's voice cut through him.

ーYou're giving me the chance to choose, and this might be asking for too much, but I also need a chance to think about it.

Renji blinked.

ーCould you give me two weeks? I'd like to get my finals done with… then process all of this. Please?

The Lieutenant nodded firmly. He stood up and gave a reassuring smile.

ーYou got it. I'll tell Captain Kuchiki to help delay things until you're ready, no matter what or how long it takes, buddy.

Ichigo smiled back at him and chuckled, his frown becoming non existent for a moment.

ーI don't remember the first or last time you were this supportive with me.

ー... it's weird for me too to act this cool, honestly. But things have changed, and so have I.

ーReally? What changed?

Renji stepped out of the room, and turned around one last time to face the orange haired man properly before departing. He had much to arrange now and he didn't intend to waste the valuable time he had.

ーI think I finally realized how much you mean to me as a friend, and how much I want to make things right for you.

Ichigo could only smile as he watched him disappear, gone in a matter of seconds. A sensation of warmth spread over his heart, and he quietly brought a hand up to feel how it beat in tranquil, satisfied joy.

Those words had made him genuinely happy. He needed that more than anything.

✿

Two weeks.

For the first time in many years, Captain Kuchiki decidedly refused to sign a document, no matter who pressed him to do it. Renji had been there, standing firmly near his Captain as even Yamamoto paid them a visit and asked the reason of his stubborn behavior, unseen since his childhood years, buried deep in the past. But Byakuya shook his head, and remained stoic and silent. The reason for not agreeing was classified and he only revealed he would make his final decision in two weeks.

He didn't waste those precious days, however, on simply saying no and refusing to sign the initiative. Both him and Lieutenant Abarai agreed on working on a new initiative, or at the very least, a modified version of what Captain Sui Feng had turned in first. Surprisingly, as they found out a few days later, a few other Squads had also refused to sign the proposal, or at least, they wouldn't do so until further development was done. Renji had smirked inwardly at that; no one had taken on the task to make it better except Byakuya and him.

Sui Feng hadn't been happy about it at first. She had barged into their office when the deadline was closing in, and practically interrogated them about the matter. Captain Kuchiki was a literal tree then, stoic, silent, unnerved, enjoying the sun rays on his back as the smaller Captain yelled at him- well, perhaps _not_ that last part, but he seemed pretty close to it. The only thing she got out of them were sighs and a mere "it's classified". She had stormed off a while later, muttering curses and stressing over why didn't they like her project.

She was kind of naïve right then, but they were sure she would understand soon enough.

So finally, on a pleasant evening with warm colors filling the skies, Renji went back to the World of the Living. Two weeks, one day. More time than Ichigo expected, he wondered with a chuckle. Not that it was a bad thing.

This time it felt way easier. There was no knot in his throat, no churning sensation in his stomach, no nervousness. He wasn't there to deliver dramatic news and that was kind of a relief. He was there to listen to his friend's answer and bring it back to Soul Society.

He knocked gently on Ichigo's window, seeing the curtains closed already and unsure of barging in again. When there was no response, he let a small "huh" escape his lips and slipped down from the second floor onto the ground, making his way to the side door and knocking on its glass this time.

A second later, the door slid open and a surprised Ichigo came into view. Renji had to resist the urge to burst out laughing, pressing his lips together and shuddering noticeably. The orange haired man stared at him with a frown, blatantly ignoring his face covered in cream and flour and his stained apron.

ーI'm guessing you went to my room first.ー he deadpanned, crossing his arms over his chest and giving the redhead a hard stare. The tattooed man gulped and suppressed the chuckle that attempted to bubble its way up.

ーAhem, yes, I did, and you didn't open up, so I, huh, I came down.

ーThanks for not smashing your way in. You caught me baking.ー without saying a word, he stepped to the side and waved at Renji to walk in, then made a motion towards the sofa. The Shinigami accepted the invitation and sat down, now watching Ichigo walk over his kitchen and pick up a bowl and a wooden spoon. Not minding the presence of his guest, he continued his work and messed himself up more, grunts of annoyance coming out of him every time the mass splashed on him.

After a while, Renji decided to break the strange silence that had fallen on them.

ーUhm… is this a bad moment? Should I leave?

Ichigo shook his head.

ーNo, it's fine, you can talk to me. I can do two things at once.

ーBut- you know what I come to talk about, wouldn't it be better if you…?

ーI can perfectly listen and bake Karin's surprise at the same time. And my answer is ready, I won't panic like last time.

ーThat's… good to hear.ー the Lieutenant scratched the back of his head, and locked eyes with his friend. ーSo, you got your answer?

The Substitute nodded and gave a small grin.

ーI don't see why not. I'd like to take it.

Renji frowned a little at this.

ーCompletely sure?

ーYep.

ーZero doubt?

ーOne hundred percent sure.

Now the redhead's face was suddenly illuminated by a smile.

ーAlright! That's cool! And it means this work wasn't for nothing.

ーWhat work?

ーWe were ready to turn it down and cancel the entire thing if you said no, but in case you agreed to do it, Captain Kuchiki and I worked on this for you.

Swiftly, the Soul Reaper took out a small bunch of papers from his robes and hesitantly held them on his hands, questioning whether to put them down on the table or hand them over to his friend. The orange head quickly told him to wait and settled down the things he was working on, sliding something into his oven then finally breathing out in satisfaction and untying his apron. He walked over to the living room where Renji patiently waited for him and sat down, cleaning his face with a napkin he had grabbed on his way there.

ーWhat's that?

ーSafety measures for you.

ーEh?

ーHere, I'll read them out loud for you, buddy.

ーYou don't need to-

ーFirst of all!ー Renji cleared his throat and spoke up with a loud, comical announcement voice. Ichigo looked at him with a dumbfounded expression but did no attempt to stop him. ーA Squad assistant is an official member of the Seireitei, for now under the jurisdiction of Squad 6. It's better than being under the eyes of Sui Feng, right?

The Substitute only widened his eyes and nodded silently. The redhead took the gesture as a signal to continue.

ーSo, that means anything that happens to you or anything that you may need, you come to us and let us know. Captain Kuchiki is willing to take on that task. Also, we made like, a lot of clauses to make sure you're safe. I'll read them out-

ーUh!ー a hurried yelp escaped the other man's lips, and he quickly reached out to snatch the papers away from Renji's hands. ーYou don't need to act narrator anymore, I can read them myself, _in silence._

The Lieutenant seemed taken back by his little outburst, but finally complied and nodded, letting Ichigo take the papers from him.

ーWhere's your sense of humour, geez… 

For a few minutes, silence returned to the room. Renji stared at his friend, fidgeting a bit when he got bored and even getting to the point of badly whistling a tune. It was awkward, watching his friend morph his face into many different phases of shock and confusion. He never thought one emotion could have so many expressions.

His eyebrows furrowed in worry when Ichigo brought a hand to cover his mouth as he gasped.

ーEverything ok?ー he asked tentatively.

The Substitute nodded slowly.

ーYou guys literally reinvented the worker's protection rights for me.

ーThe _what_?

ーOh my God you're going to pay me.

ーThe Captain proposed that one-

ーAre you serious?!

ーWhat, about what?ー the Lieutenant was long lost from Ichigo's unbelieving rambling. ーAbout getting paid?

ーI get to have my own office?!

Renji blinked.

ー...yeah. You do. Rukia thought it would be fitting to give you your own workspace.

ーWait, Rukia was into this too?

Renji grinned.

ーOf course she was. The three of us Captain Kuchiki, Rukia and I were the ones who made this. Sui Feng said we went too far, but honestly… it's up to you to decide that.

The Substitute sweatdropped, rubbing his nape and looking baffled at what he had read.

ーI don't know what to say, this is amazing. It's like you're giving me a real work and not messing around with me.

ーThat's the entire point of this.

ーI don't know what to say or how to thank you.ー a warm smile adorned Ichigo's face, his scowl gone and his tender chocolate brown eyes softened and lost in the moment. ーI know I said I wanted to do this, but now I'm even eager to begin. How can I-?

ーJust so we're clear.ー Renji interrupted roughly, his tone hard. ーDon't even think about repaying _us_ , because we are repaying _you_. You're the one who's done far too much for the Seireitei. Now shut it, be happy, and wait for your first assignment.

The young adult chuckled under his breath. Content, he returned the papers to his friend and gifted him a smile so pure he rivaled the innocence of a child.

ーYessir.ー was all he could say in response to the kindness he didn't know his friends could display.

✿

The Lieutenant of Squad 6 sadly couldn't stay for dinner with the Hero of Soul Society, but that wasn't exactly a bad thing. He had vital matters to attend and he intended to get them done with as soon as possible. He had apologized, though; he felt like it was a needed gesture after such a kind and heartfelt offering.

Stepping silently on the wooden floor of his barracks, the dimly lit hall and the wavering lights were the only things to receive him when nighttime had already claimed the Seireitei. He made his way to the office his Captain shared with him and slid the door open as quietly as possible. He didn't want to leave anything out of place if his boss wasn't around-.

ーHow did it go?

Renji yelped in surprise and sharply turned his head to the side. Illuminated by a lonely candle and still redacting a report, Byakuya worked as an unseen shadow, clearly going outside his planned schedule for the sole purpose of hearing Ichigo's final verdict.

ーSir! Renji Abarai reporting in with fresh news.

ーContinue.

ーHe said yes.

The Captain nodded, perfectly expressionless.

ーI see.

Swiftly, he took out a document from his archives, knowing with extreme precision where it was, awaiting. He extended it on his deck, gave it one last quick read, then with the known elegance and finesse of the Kuchiki household, he signed it. His Lieutenant gave a content hum and bowed when the paper was handed over to him.

ーDeliver this to Squad 1… then we'll be done for today.

ーYessir. I'll take my leave then.

ーBefore that, Abarai.

Renji lifted his head slightly, his eyes questioning.

ーWas this enough?

The redhead smiled.

ーMore than enough, sir. We even made him happy.

Byakuya stared blankly at him, closed his eyes, breathed out… then returned the smile with a hum of approval.

ーThat sounds marvelous. I'm glad.

ーSo am I, sir. I think we might finally be doing things right.

No more words were exchanged. Renji left with the same quietness he came with, sprinting in the darkness to finally finish what they started. Byakuya stood up, cleaned his desk, and with a soft blow, took out the warm flame of his candle.

For the first time in two weeks, Captain and Lieutenant went to rest with their minds at ease.

Ichigo was happy.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to work and prove everyone wrong, then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly this might be the wholesomeness that's keeping me alive (?)  
> Enjoy Ichigo doing his best and being treated like he should be treated. Also, butterflies.
> 
> Thank you for coming, thank you for staying, and for a change, a bigger thanks for existing!! Remember you're all as precious as Ichigo and deserve the best like him!
> 
> On with the story

They didn't get the reaction they expected.

The plan was perfect, honestly, and the document had been revised several times and even signed by Ichigo at the end, since Byakuya thought it would be fitting for him to do so. Renji was convinced the reception would be good enough, so huge was his disappointment at what happened during the meeting.

The final version was read out loud in front of everyone, also pointing out whatever was different from the original one. Byakuya clarified all the terms that were misunderstood or ambiguous, so that no one would complain later on about them. When he was done, he closed the scroll and awaited for confirmation on everyone's agreement.

To Byakuya's anger, to Rukia's shock, and to Renji's frustration, they only saw uncertainty.

ーThat declaration… ー Captain Kyoraku was the first one to speak, breaking a bit of the tension that had built up. ーThis entire thing, actually, are we sure it's going to work? I can't picture Ichigo following all those rules.

Byakuya glared at him.

ーI believe you to be a keen man. Therefore, by now you must have noticed, most of these rules are intended as limitations of _our_ doings, not his.

ーThen how do you intend to keep him under control?ー Mayuri practically barked at him.

ーThere is no intention to keep him under control, Captain Kurotsuchi.

ーIs there? Really?ー defiantly, the clown scientist took a step forward. ーWe're talking about Kurosaki here. If he gets mad enough, we know what he's capable of. How do you intend to keep him controlled should that happen? There must be a clause related to that. Immediate removal of his powers, for example.

The Head Captain hit the floor with his cane loudly, silencing Mayuri instantly.

ーI see no need for removing his powers. That is out of question and out of our jurisdiction now. Never speak of that again, Captain Kurotsuchi.

The blue haired man lowered his head and muttered a "yes" between gritted teeth.

Kyoraku sighed and raised his hand asking for permission to speak, granted by the Old man not so long after the commotion.

ーI think my question was misunderstood earlier, so I'll try to make it again. I was wondering if we're sure our… Squad assistant, was willing to do this kind of work and do it right. He's been good for us battle wise, but paperwork like this… it's a weird picture. Anyone else agrees?

Nods came from most other captains, Kenpachi included, surprisingly. The only ones who did not agree were Sui Feng, Byakuya, Unohana, Shinji and Yamamoto, though he was supposed to remain neutral.

To justify her position, the assassin Captain took her turn to argue.

ーI'm the one who began this entire thing. If I didn't think Kurosaki was capable of doing this, I wouldn't have started it. I spent a day with him and saw him work perfectly as if he was one of my men. You're not giving him the credit he deserves.

ーHey, guys, wassup?ー all eyes turned to Shinji's sudden interruption. He was glancing between his two friends, Rose and Kensei, who stood in silence. ーWhy aren't you siding with Ichi? We saw him at his worst and at his best, surely ya' would support our boy?

The white haired man remained in silence while the other blonde sighed.

ーWe know we trained him, yeah… but personally, I think this would be too much for him to handle. He's still a student.

ーSoon entering college, tho! He's mature enough to face a work like this- and also, Kuchiki.ー Shinji addressed the Captain suddenly. The noble responded to him with a questioning glare. ーYou said Ichi signed that thing. If he's sure he can do it then I choose to believe in him. Easy peasy, problem solved, let's just get over it already.

ーIt's not so simple-

ーI don't see the point in this-

ーWe should still be wary of him-

ーThis is useless-

ーEnough!

One more time, louder than before, Yamamoto hit the wooden floor with his cane and shouted for everyone to cease the arguing. This was going nowhere.

ーCaptain Kuchiki, I offer you this solution.ー he began, his old voice reverberating in the meeting room.

The addressed Captain nodded in acknowledgement and stared, awaiting.

ーSince you have stated Squad 6 shall take care of his operations- ーSui Feng grunted at this, but was quickly silenced with a single glare.ー -then I believe doing a trial day would be fitting to test this initiative. It shall be done in your Squad, so if anything should happen, you will respond for him and take the responsibility. Do you agree to this?

The answer came instantly and without hesitation.

ーYes, of course.

ーThen I bring this meeting to an end. Prove to us the Substitute Soul Reaper is more than just brawl.

There were a few small protests, mostly from Captains that didn't completely believe in the idea. For Renji, it was a sad truth to face. They hadn't signed the proposal not because they thought Ichigo had to agree first, but because they didn't think him capable of doing this work properly.

Byakuya took none of it, however, and swiftly left the room towards his barracks, his Lieutenant gasping in a rush and following him shortly after. Renji thought about bringing Rukia along with them, but as he turned around to lock eyes with her, he saw her shake her head apologetically and bite her lower lip. She had to remain by Ukitake's side, and he understood.

The two Soul Reapers were back at their barracks in no time flat, the Captain hurried to arrange everything that had to be done. He sent the redhead away to do his part, and he stayed in his office fulfilling the little bureaucracy that would be needed.

Finally in solitude, making sure no one was close by, Kuchiki Byakuya allowed himself to slip from his refined façade, and groaned in frustration as he banged his fist against the desk out of nowhere.

How dare they? His work was perfect and it should've been accepted instantly. He knew Ichigo, he knew his potential, he knew how far he could go. He knew he was a sensitive, smart being too. He was sure everyone else was aware of that fact; oh, how wrong he was.

The boy had taught him lessons his grandfather would approve of, he had realized after long nights of meditation. There was a middle point between having your emotions in control and furiously letting them rampage and act accordingly to them. Kurosaki had realized he could follow his heart without blindly falling for his anger. Whatever monster he had become during previous battles, it was because of his life being in danger, not his fury. It was his determination to survive, not his determination to take revenge for what had been done to his friends.

Byakuya saw what he should've done from the very beginning. His vow was to protect his family, and by closing his heart off, he had forgotten Rukia was _also_ family.

For that, and for many more lessons he had unknowingly taught him, the Kuchiki noble respected that man as much as he would respect an elder member of his clan. Therefore, seeing the other captains doubt his abilities practically made his blood boil.

ーAn enemy of Ichigo Kurosaki is also an enemy of mine.

Muttering to himself, he stared out the window and longingly scanned the buildings of the Seireitei. Behind his grey eyes, a dangerous glint rose to the surface.

ーMy Soul Society… you better not become an enemy to his eyes one more time, or it will be the last.

Recomposing himself and coughing lightly, he turned and focused once more on the papers he had to sign. A permit to cross the Senkaimon should be enough. Maybe an escort or two.

Whatever means necessary, he would help Ichigo prove his worth again to the oblivious eyes of the Soul Reapers.

✿

It wasn't his intention to be excited, but damn, he was excited.

To begin with, Ichigo wasn't used to the official communication systems of the Soul Reapers. He didn't have a phone Soul Pager, nor did he know of their magazines and newspapers, so when a Hell Butterfly crossed through his window and aimlessly circled over his head, he was baffled. He had no idea what he was supposed to do with it, he figured it out by mere coincidence. Ichigo tried to touch the small black bug, and it had directly landed on his finger to suddenly deliver a message straight to his head.

When he heard he was being summoned to begin his duties as a Squad assistant, he had instantly gone into overdrive. He rushed to brush his teeth, comb his hair a bit- it was about time he cut it, huh-, even getting to the extreme of checking if he needed some deodorant. Those days were hot and sweaty, the chances were likely he smelled and hadn't noticed.

He couldn't help it, it was his first formal job in his life (…afterlife?). Nervousness was bound to come with it.

He left a note explaining he had pulled an all nighter and now needed to rest, so "please no one dare to wake me up", and made sure to leave his body in a believable position so Yuzu wouldn't freak out when she came back from her business. He knew his dad and Karin could put two and two together and help cover him up anyway. So a few minutes later, he had arrived to the riverside and was ready and waiting for the Senkaimon that was supposed to open up for him. There's also the tiny chance he might've fidgeted a bit while he waited. Just maybe.

The world turned a darker shade for a moment, and the traditional styled doors made their appearance a few meters away from him, their light announcing their presence clearly. They opened, and two unknown Soul Reapers came out of it.

Ichigo quirked a questioning eyebrow and waved at them awkwardly.

ーUh, hi. Is that my cue to run…?

The two Soul Reapers, a blonde woman and a dark haired man, came closer to him and bowed deeply. The orange head was taken back by the respectful gesture and stuttered for them to stop that.

ーSquad assistant Ichigo Kurosaki, we're here to escort you to Soul Society. Please, follow us.ー the woman spoke up for both of them and motioned for the Senkaimon, still bowing. Ichigo honestly wanted them to stop, he could feel the embarrassed hint of red creeping up his cheeks already.

ーS-sure, but please, stop that, I don't do well with these… eh… manners.

The Soul Reapers exchanged a confused glance, but nodded a little afterwards.

ーUh, so, who's going to run in the front? Me?

There was a moment of silence. This was going _smoothly_.

ーRun?ー the man questioned in an unsure response. ーThis is an official crossing, there's no need to run. We're on schedule.

ーReally?ー Ichigo quirked his mouth downwards in surprise. ーNo cleaner? No surprises? No door closing out of nowhere?

Both escorts shook their heads.

ーAre… you ok, Mister Kurosaki?

The Substitute sighed deeply and finally decided to let them do their thing and stop questioning it based on what he knew from experience. Renji told him things had changed, he would need to go with the flow too. He groaned and rubbed his temples to try and relax a bit.

ーYeah, I'm fine. Let's just- let's just go, come on.ー he finally answered, letting a hand go to his hair and sliding it backwards.

The felt it make contact with something, however, and flinched at the sensation. There was suddenly a third Hell Butterfly flying around them, particularly around him.

ーW-where did that one come from?ー he yelped.

ーOh, wait, is that the one we lost earlier?ー the blonde woman smiled at it, innocently. ーA butterfly came earlier for you, but it never made it back. We thought it was trapped in the Dangai.

ーHow long has it been in my hair!?

ーHuh, weird.ー the male Shinigami spoke next. ーThey don't usually… do that. Linger with Soul Reapers like that, I mean. It must have taken a liking to you.

ーWe should get going, Sir.ー the woman interrupted the conversation carefully. ーWe're on schedule, but it's better to not take the risk of being late.

Ichigo and the other man nodded, though the Substitute was more focused on the bug that decidedly tried to stick to his hair again. He muttered something in confusion, but began walking forwards anyway, not exactly paying attention to the road ahead.

They said there was no risk this time, he intended to believe them and try to feel safe in the Dangai for once. On the other hand, the butterfly… 

ーMister Kurosaki, Sir?

The male voice got his attention and he snapped his head to the side expectantly.

ーYeah? You can drop the formalities, by the way. Call me Ichigo.

The man brought a strange, timid smile to his serious face.

ーI'm Tanaka. It's an honor, Sir.

Now Ichigo returned the smile with a grin of his own.

ーIt's my pleasure! Thank you for escorting me.

ーUhm, if it's not too much of a bother, Sir, could you…?

The Substitute quirked an eyebrow.

ーYes?

ーWhen we arrive, could you… give me your autograph, Sir? Ichigo, I mean?

Oh.

_Oh._

The orange head widened his eyes and opened his mouth in surprise. Did… did he hear that right?

ーI'm sorry? My what?

ーIt would be an honor if the Hero of Soul Society could give me his autograph… I was wondering if you would?

ーTanaka, don't be disrespectful.ー the woman scolded him suddenly. ーHe doesn't have time for that.

ーI- I do!ー Ichigo yelped. He knew he was blushing by that point. God this was awkward. ーI have plenty of time! It's just I've never been asked for that before! I'm not turning you down, Tanaka, I can give you my a… autograph!

ーYou would?ー came two responses in completely different tones. One was surprised and shocked, the voice of the woman; the other was hopeful and excited, the voice of Tanaka.

ーYeah, definitely! You're both from Squad 6, right? I heard I was going to work there today.

ーWe are, yes.

ーI have the entire day to give you my autograph if you want it, Tanaka.

The dark haired man's face lit up in happiness and he nodded.

ーI'll make sure to find something meaningful, Sir!

ーI'll make sure to sign it properly.ー Ichigo smiled openly, ignoring the shocked voice of the woman, yelling something at her companion.

Taking a walk through the Dangai didn't seem so traumatic anymore, he noticed. He didn't need to look out for surprise attacks, he didn't need to run from the Cleaner nor fight for his life.

It felt good to feel safe, he noticed.

✿

ーI'm pleased to see you made it on time.

The trip ended at the entrance of Squad 6's barracks, where Renji and Byakuya stood waiting to receive them. Tanaka and Shifumi, the other Soul Reaper, bowed deeply at their superiors and informed them of a mission success. Ichigo stood between them innocently, scratching his head at the gestures and deciding to follow their lead and bow too. Renji snorted, and casually gave him a small kick on his calf.

ーHey, you're ranked higher than them, you don't need to bow so deeply.

The orange haired man raised his head in confusion.

ーI'm trying to make a good impression here.ー he spat, his voice a whisper.

Renji barked out a laugh, but was instantly silenced by his Captain's glare. Byakuya cleared his throat and dismissed the two Soul Reaper escorts, who Flash Stepped away without a word. Ichigo pouted a bit, for a moment feeling like he had missed the chance to give Tanaka his autograph, but his thoughts drifted towards the noble man as he spoke to him.

ーAs a matter of fact, Mister Kurosaki.ー Ichigo widened his eyes at the way Byakuya had just addressed him. He gulped nervously. ー _We_ are the ones supposed to make a good impression on _you._ Rank wise, you equal the Head Captain right now.

Oh shit.

Slowly, unsure of how to proceed, the Squad assistant straightened his back and stood tall in front of the Captain, who closed his eyes and suddenly bowed to him. Without hesitating, Renji followed suit, both with dead serious faces and expressing a respect Ichigo was definitely not used to seeing. He even took a step back in shock.

ーIt's an honor to have you here. We hope you're pleased with the way Squad 6 functions.

He gulped. A nod wouldn't suffice for what Byakuya was expressing.

ーUhm… ー he tried to say something that went accordingly. ーI'm… happy to be here too. I look forward to working with you, Captain.

The noble and his Lieutenant straightened their backs and nodded, soon inviting him in and opening the doors of the barracks. He took the offering and walked in.

_Nailed it._

ーIt's exactly 11 in the morning. You have time to visit your office and prepare whatever you may need. Do you need someone to guide you there?

The orange head gave a hesitant "yes", ignoring his wild heartbeat at the thought of having his own office. Byakuya snapped his fingers, and another unknown Soul Reaper Flash stepped to their side instantly. The man bowed to him.

ーTake the Squad assistant to his workplace.

ーYessir.ー he addressed Ichigo next. ーPlease follow me.

The young man complied silently, walking behind the Soul Reaper and admiring the barracks on the way there. The gardens were considerable, but seemed rather unused. A little further, he squinted his eyes and recognized the existence of a small building next to the training grounds, the words "Squad team gym" roughly written on the front. Huh, he would need to ask about that later.

They arrived to a separate space from the main edifice, a two story building styled in the traditional japanese way. Ichigo tried to keep his expression neutral, though the side of his lip quirked a bit upwards in a tiny smile. It was colored in a nice light blue and there were various flowers around. It seemed it had been cleaned and conditioned for the occasion, a thought that almost made him blush again.

ーHere are the keys, Sir. We hope you enjoy your facility.

Ichigo received the clinking bunch of keys and thanked the Soul Reaper for bringing him there. The man stared at him with a puzzled expression for a moment, but then simply nodded and left.

It took him a minute or two to find the correct keys, and once he managed to slide the doors open, he gasped at what he found inside. The place was cleaned neatly, kind of plain at first, but still pretty and with everything he could've asked for. There was a desk, way bigger than the one he had back at home; several cupboards and chests of drawers positioned in harmony and probably containing implements he would get to need. He noticed a door to one side, and opened it carefully to reveal a bathroom the size of his actual room.

He definitely took a few minutes to peek at everything, knowing he had to start at midday and show up in the Captain's office then. It was still early and he felt like an awkward spoiled child, his eyes sparkling at everything and feeling like he was in a five star hotel.

The second floor had a balcony that allowed him to perfectly admire a good portion of the Seireitei, only missing what was left behind. Inside, it looked like a meeting room of sorts, with comfortable chairs and a table with flowers in the middle. There was a tiny refrigerator hidden on the corner, and Ichigo curiously checked what was inside. Mostly drinks, probably to offer during a reunion. Squinting at his memory, he realized there was a coffee machine on the first floor. Yep, definitely for reunions.

He went back down and stretched his arms, before walking over to his chair and slumping down on it. He let out a breath of fascination.

ーMan… they sure went out of their way for this… 

His eyes drifted downwards, and focused on a small badge that rested on the desk and he hadn't noticed before. He picked it up for inspection, it seemed to be similar to the symbol on Rukia's gloves, and apparently it was supposed to be hanged on the front of his Shihakusho. Doubting what to do with it, he put it into one of his pockets inside his robes, to then hurriedly roam around the office to prepare for what was coming. A legal pad and a pen would do, he thought, plus maybe a folder.

There was a quirky paper he found lying around, and his lips curved into a grin. Just what he needed. He shoved it into his folder without thinking twice. It was bound to come in handy.

The clock reminded him he had 10 minutes left, and with a determined nod, he headed out. Trying to recall the way back, he passed in front of the training grounds again and smiled inwardly. At least he was going the right way.

When he reached the main hall, he hummed happily and stared at his paper. Taking a few turns inside the main buildings, he soon found himself in front of the Captain's office, marked by a nice sign hanging on the door. He knocked, and it opened almost instantly after to reveal a smiling Renji with Byakuya working behind him on his own desk.

ーWell hello! I'm glad you made it without getting lost.ー he commented enthusiastically. ーI was actually considering going out to guide you.

Ichigo grinned.

ーI thought ahead of you and brought this with me!ー proudly, he revealed the quirky paper he had snatched from his office. A map of the Seireitei, particularly the one from Squad 6's barracks.

The Lieutenant whistled in surprise as he took it to get a closer look. He quirked his neck to the side a bit, but his eyes never left the map.

ーHey, Captain, since when do we have these?

The orange haired man listened carefully.

ーWhat do you mean? I ordered for those to be made a while ago, but they were never used. I asked the cleaning staff to bring a few to the Squad assistant just in case.

ーIs… is that so? These would've come in handy last year when we had the new recruits roaming around the barracks… 

ーYou did not ask for my help.ー the noble deadpanned.

ーAh, well, whatever. I'm glad you planned ahead.ー he returned the paper to Ichigo and sighed, before crossing his arms over his chest in a carefree manner. ーSo, how can we help you? Your shift begins now, what do you need?

The orange haired man raised his hand to say something, but seemed to regret the idea and suddenly averted his eyes downwards. He opened his pad and scribbled something down on it, frowning as he did so, then looking up at Renji again, who stared at him with confusion.

ーSorry, I had to write it before I forgot.ー he pouted at his notes and continued. ーI think I'll go take a look at the barracks and see how everyone works. Anything specific, I guess I'll ask you afterwards.

ーOh, sure thing. If you need a guide, I'm free to help. You can also ask everyone whatever you want, they were instructed to answer honestly to you.

The redhead suddenly seemed to notice something, and pointed at Ichigo's shihakusho.

ーYou didn't put on your badge?ー he questioned.

The assistant widened his eyes and took out the small thing from his pocket.

ーThis? I wasn't too sure what to do with it. Hold on.ー quickly, he clicked it in place on the border of his robes, around the area of his chest. ーThere we go.

ーThat looks better.ー the tattoo Soul Reaper chuckled and patted his friend's shoulder gently. ーDo your best out there, buddy. Remember you can ask for help whenever you need it and for whatever reason. Please don't be afraid to do so.

Ichigo nodded determinedly and gave a thumbs up, before excusing himself and closing the door.

Once he was left alone, he muttered hurriedly.

ーFind the flaws in the Squads and report them, make up new ideas to improve their inner workings, inform the Captains of any measures they could take to become better. This is gonna be rough… 

Mentally bracing himself, he went out. Time to work.

✿

His first stop was, according to the map, the "main supplies' storage room". Put bluntly, he thought when he saw it, a warehouse. The squad members working there identified themselves as part of the cleaning staff, and three of them were actually the squad chefs doing a visit to get the ingredients for today's lunch. Ichigo did his best to go unnoticed and let them do their thing. To his eyes, everyone seemed to get along with everyone pretty decently. A few of them threw bitter glances among themselves every now and then, but that was to be expected, right? It was impossible for a group of people to be in perfect synch permanently.

Out of curiosity, he asked what was supposed to be in the menu for the day. Yakitori, they said. Someone commented on the unagi from a few days ago, saying how nice it was. Ichigo didn't know why, but he felt like that was worth noting. The squad members ate well and had a good relationship.

Second stop, the dorms. The building was well done and the rooms were nice. The squad members told him they slept well and accordingly to their shifts, and they also asked him to please don't go to the left wing of the dorms, where the night shift members were sleeping. That seemed interesting to hear, and Ichigo asked them what duties did they all share during the day and during the night.

It was kind of uncomfortable to hear them stutter and ask each other what exactly did they all do in common. They had mostly general guarding duties, or had to do cleaning in their barracks, or had to watch over the Kuchiki household. Tanaka crossed Ichigo's way again there, and he gladly explained he was usually assigned as the head bodyguard of the little cousin of the Captain. 

He thanked him for his words before going to his main stop, the place that had caught his eyes since the beginning.

Casually and carefully, the orange haired man made his way to the gym and the training grounds, and peeked through the doors after knocking and getting no response. He whistled as he made his way to the spacious place, a wooden construction with windows at the top and a mini soccer field painted on the floor. On opposing sides, there were two metal structures that resembled football arcs from the World of the living, but had no nets on them. Roaming around the huge room, Ichigo found a cupboard in the shadows with soccer balls in it, and other football implements like goalkeeper gloves, uniforms and several different protection gears.

ーOh…? They have a mini football team? How come I never heard of this?

Checking more of the place, he found a big whiteboard hidden to one side of the room, and quietly appreciated the notes on formations and names of team members. It was all looking interesting and neat, when he came to the corner of it and read something that made him feel downhearted inside.

"Upcoming matches: no entries. Won matches: 0. Lost: 0. Overall: no comments."

His frown deepened, his mouth curved downwards, and his heart clenched with a strange feeling. It wasn't disappointment, it felt like frustration… Embarrassment? Shame for someone else? A deep sadness, for sure; this looked like something someone worked extremely hard on, to never be taken seriously once it was done.

With the same quietness as before, he scribbled on his pad. This was something he definitely needed to talk about.

ーThe work and thought put into this… none of it can go to waste.ー he muttered.

With a firm nod, he began to make his way out. He still had a few things to check, and his time was running out.

He felt eager already to finish and show Byakuya everything he had thought about to make his Squad better.

✿

The evening had been tranquil, and nothing big had come up to bother them. Renji stood nearby the window of their shared office, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyebrows curving in a small frown as he stared outside with somewhat longing eyes. Byakuya, on the other hand, rested on his chair with his arms on his lap, his hand placed on a closed book he had been reading before. Work was done and they were simply waiting for their shift to be officially done.

Captain Kuchiki knew better, though.

ーAbarai.

His voice cut through the pleasant silence that had enveloped both of them, and the redhead snapped his head towards the noble instantly.

ーCaptain? What is it?

ーYou seem agitated.

Renji widened his eyes then sighed.

ーIs it so obvious?

ーDo you not believe in the abilities of the Squad assistant either?

ーNo!ー the Lieutenant gasped and walked around to the front of Byakuya's desk, locking dead serious eyes with him. ーI would never doubt Ichigo, ever, in my life.

ーNeither will I.ー was his plain response. ーYou still have not confessed the reason of your distress, however.

ーIt's just… It should be about time he shows up to… 

ーHe will. Do not be impatient. Any second, he will knock on that door and we shall see how his work-

ーCaptain…?

The noble man didn't like being interrupted, so his grey eyes glared at Renji and he quirked an eyebrow slightly to silently judge him.

ーHm?

ーThere's… uhm… 

Now Byakuya was curious on what was going on with his Lieutenant. He turned his head around to where Renji's eyes seemed glued to, and he widened his own as he stared at the three Hell Butterflies resting on their window.

Hurriedly, he stood up and went to open it, confused as to why would three of them be together and looking for him. He raised his hand and waited for one to land on it. The bugs danced a bit between themselves, flapping innocently and not really going for their landing spot. It took them a minute to organize themselves, and finally one gently stuck on Byakuya's finger.

"Please go tell Byakuya and Renji I need them in my… office? Before sunset if possible?"

The Captain gasped.

ーWhat the…?

A second messenger went to land on the back of his hand, and Byakuya could only watch in shock as it did so.

"Uh, that one went ahead of you, but could you catch up and tell the Captain and his Lieutenant to come together to the second floor? I'll be waiting for them on the balcony."

The third one came closer. He let it land.

"If it's not too much trouble, follow those two and tell Byakuya I got drinks too. I hope he likes cold tea. Ok? Go go go… uh, I said go. Shoo… uh… do you like my finger that much?"

This was unbelievable.

ーCaptain Kuchiki? Is everything alright?

The black haired man didn't need to explain anything, as the three bugs went and landed on Renji's arm next. He carefully listened, and his shock turned into a laughing burst after a minute.

ーOh my God, he- I can't- he learned how to use a Hell Butterfly!?

ー... three of them, to be precise.ー Byakuya added.

ーHow!? I had to pass an entire course to learn how to control one! And he just went and- and- oh my God!

ーWe… we should hurry.

ーCaptain, are you not amazed at this?

It took Renji a single glance at his Captain's face to realize he was doing a legendary struggle to keep his emotionless façade. His lips were evidently curved inwards. No doubt he wanted to chuckle, at the very least.

ーI am indeed impressed.ー he said quickly, coughing a bit to clear his voice. ーWe should go see him at once.

ーY-yessir… we definitely should.ー Renji was doing an _effort_ to contain himself.

Taking Ichigo's words to heart, they rushed out of the building then Flash stepped towards the place they had made his office. Gracefully and in synch, they landed on his balcony a second later.

ーOh, there you are.

The two men looked around and found their orange haired friend leaning on the rails at the border of the balcony. He had a few papers on his hand and was playing around with a pen on the other.

ーI'm guessing you got my message?

ーHow?

Renji snapped his head to the side. He wasn't expecting his Captain to talk to suddenly.

ーHm? How what?

ーHow did you send us a Hell butterfly? You have no training.

Ichigo raised his eyebrows in surprise. Casually, he went and put a hand at the back of his head, then brought it in front of him to show the now shocked men a black butterfly calmly resting on the back of his hand.

ーThey're super easy to use though? There's a bunch of them always following me now and- oh, that's where you were hiding!

Byakuya hated to admit he was baffled. Without a care in the world, another bug came out flying from Ichigo's sleeve, soon joining its equal on his hand before he raised it and they both took off at the same time, as if commanded to do so.

ーLook at them go〜

ーIchigo, are you serious?ー came Renji's shocked voice.

ーHuh? Yeah. What are you doing still standing there? Come on, take a seat. I got a lot of things to comment to you. You're going to love it.

ーBut- but the butterflies…?

ーPlease sit down, guys.

The Squad assistant walked past them nonchalantly, going for his refrigerator and taking three cans out with him. He placed them on the table and sat down on a chair, his expression neutral but with a gentle smile adorning it. Renji and Byakuya exchanged a glance, before the latter cleared his throat and went for a seat alongside his partner, who trailed behind him hesitantly.

Ichigo took a moment to organize his papers, then spoke up.

ーSo, I'll begin from the basics. The place itself is amazing, well taken care of and tranquil for your Squad members. Clean, spacious and pleasant. They all like it. About your subordinates, they all get along pretty decently and I didn't come across any quarrel. A few of them have small disagreements, but they solve it calmly and without swords in the way.

Byakuya listened carefully and nodded at his words.

ーI'm glad to hear that. It's good to hear our Squad members respect each other.

ーThere's just one exception, actually.

The Captain quirked a questioning eyebrow.

ーDo we have a troublemaker in our Squad?

ーNo. There's someone who doesn't exhibit the same gentle manners as everyone else. It's you, actually.

The room froze.

Renji's breath was caught in his throat. He could feel his heart about to burst and his skin go cold and sweaty. Tensely, he turned his head around to look at his Captain.

He knew about his habits, obviously. He was aware of his biggest, though most secret flaw. However, among Squad members, there was a single unspoken rule that everyone was aware of. _The_ rule. The one thing you couldn't do. The one boundary you couldn't cross.

ー _Me?_

Renji gulped.

ーYou're the only one who hasn't said "please" and "thank you". Not even once.

He just did _that_.

ーDo you… intend to tell me, _I_ am the mistake?ー the Captain's tone was hard, dangerous, his patience being tested at what he was hearing. He was a man of perfection, it was outrageous to be criticized by-

" _No. He knows what he's doing. His opinion is not to be looked down on. This is the Squad assistant_."

Internally, Byakuya attempted to calm himself down. Ichigo must've had a good explanation for his words. He had to be open to hearing it. He was just doing his work right.

ーDon't get me wrong, you're not a mistake. I never said that.ー the orange haired man also took a serious, harder approach, seeing Byakuya's reaction and identifying his state of mind right then. He knew this could be a hard task, he had already prepared himself to face the wrath of Senbonzakura shall the need arise. ーI'm saying you don't share the same manners as everyone else, but I haven't said it's an inherently bad thing. I'd like to know if you were aware of it or not.

The Captain took a second to think about it, then closed his eyes and nodded slowly.

Renji watched the exchange in tense but solemn silence.

ーI see. May I ask why you do it?

There was a short moment of silence. Byakuya sighed inwardly.

ーI'm the Captain. Therefore, to make my authority clear… 

ーOnly that?

ーIt's the difference in class between me and everyone else. I'm not their equal, we cannot treat each other as if we were on the same level. All my Squad members are aware of that.

ーWith all due respect. Are you hearing yourself?

The Lieutenant gulped and adjusted his Shihakusho around his neck. This was intense to watch.

ーI don't see the problem-

Ichigo practically snapped at Byakuya, his frown hard and his body leaning a bit forward to assert his point deeper.

ー _Nothing_ will ever excuse _anyone_ of basic manners. You, who teaches others to be respectful, should be the first and best example of respect. That's your duty as a Captain.

"Holy shit" Renji widened his eyes in shock and bit the inside of his mouth in panic. He had no idea what was going on anymore. Ichigo probably had no idea what he was getting himself into.

He eyed his Captain, waiting for him to snap at his friend and demand him to apologize for his words. He opened his mouth, inhaled some air. The redhead gulped again.

ー...I see. I shall begin to work on that.

" _Holy shit_ "

Ichigo wasn't dead!

ーAlright! I'm glad you took it so nicely.ー oblivious of how close he had come to being murdered, at least to Renji's eyes, the orange haired man continued his report calmly and with a smile. ーTrust me, it's not so hard once you get the hang of it. It'll help improve the relationship you have with your subordinates. Show them you care, just a little. Your authority won't be gone for saying "thank you".

He checked something on his papers, and moved on to the next page. Clearing his throat a little and drinking some tea, he moved on.

ーThere's something that caught my eye, but I think I'll need to look into it a bit more before making any judgement on it.

ーWhat is it?ー the black haired noble hid his curiosity with expertise as he asked the Squad assistant.

ーDon't worry about it, I'll investigate it myself.

Though he didn't like to lack information, he had to respect the secrecy Ichigo wished to maintain with whatever business he had. He gave a single nod and decided to drink some of his tea to make the atmosphere less tense.

ーNow, the thing I was looking forward to commenting. When I began I said you had an amazing facility, that includes your training grounds, and your mini football field.

ーY-you… you found our futsal gym. It's not mini football exactly.ー Renji muttered.

ーFutsal? Close enough.ー he hummed as he corrected the name. ーThat sounds interesting, and from what I saw, there was a lot of work put into it. But it was… sad to see you had no activities, no matches, no entries. What happened?

The Lieutenant felt Byakuya's eyes fall on him. He sighed and scratched the base of his ponytail.

ーIt was my idea to make up a futsal team, I thought it was cool after I saw it in the World of the Living… some Squad members supported me and we worked on it together. But since there are no other teams in Soul Society, we just… train for fun now. Some members got discouraged and left. It's kind of dead now, honestly.

ーWhy didn't you try expanding the idea and telling other Squads?

ーWell… the situation around the Seireitei was never good enough for the idea to flourish. You know, with the Winter war and everything. The morale just wasn't there.

ーAnd how about now?

Renji snorted.

ーWho would listen to such a thing? Really… 

ーFine. I'll do it.

The redhead blinked. Byakuya stared at the Squad assistant, not hiding his surprise this time.

ーI'm sorry?

ーSports are always a great way to bring people together and a nice activity to think of something different than work… something different than the scars left from war. Everything is fine now, Aizen was defeated almost a year ago, the Court Guard Squads rebuilt themselves. I see no reason for not trying. And since I'm the Squad assistant, I'll do it. It's part of my new job.

ーBut… but that's…ー Renji had no words to describe his shock, and he couldn't even respond properly to his friend. He was being serious.

ーDon't worry, I'll take care of it from now on. But your team is still yours. Encourage them to start over, practice together again, ask new people to join. As long as one team is alive and waiting, there's always the chance others will show up and play with you.

Surprisingly, it didn't actually sound that bad. The way Ichigo was putting it, it seemed doable, and maybe the idea could get somewhere this time. The Lieutenant locked hesitant eyes with his Captain, and said man simply closed his eyes and hummed. Byakuya wasn't against it either.

It made sense, though. The idea of making a futsal team came from both of them, and the noble had helped a lot in bringing it to life. They built the gym themselves, everyone working together, they bought the implements, they painted the field. The first weeks, he remembered, the gym was crowded and everyone in the Squad wanted to give it a shot. Some of them took it more seriously than others, and they practiced together, and those were some good, warm memories in the middle of the chaos that was betrayal and the looming War over the horizon.

All of that had been forgotten slowly, and now the place was just there, unused. Perhaps it would be good to let Ichigo go forward with his plans and help them rebuild their lost happiness.

Seeing Renji get lost in his thoughts, the orange head sighed and offered him a reassuring smile.

ーYour Squad overall gets an 80 out of 100, in my opinion. You don't need to work on a lot of stuff to make it better.

Ichigo put his papers and his pen down, drank the last bit of his tea, and finished with a determined frown.

ーJust make sure to have fun and smile again, ok?

The Captain watched him stand up and walk over his Lieutenant. Putting a friendly hand on his shoulder, Ichigo reassured Renji it was going to be fine. Sighing, the redhead went and put his own hand on Ichigo's, squeezing for a moment before thanking him for the support. Byakuya felt the need to say something too.

ーSquad assistant Kurosaki… thank you for your hard work. We shall take your words into account and work on them from now on.

The Substitute Soul Reaper grinned at the noble.

ーIt's my pleasure to help, Captain… you're dismissed.

Captain and Lieutenant nodded firmly and stood up, then took a moment to bow to Ichigo and went over to the balcony. They left in a Flash Step with the same silence they arrived with.

Once they were gone, Ichigo exhaled deeply and slumped down on the chair.

ーMan, that was tiring…ー he muttered to himself, closing his eyes and resting for a moment. He hoped he had done everything right and left a good impression with his work, so that the other Captains would finally accept him as one of his own.

When he was about to fall asleep, he felt a tickle on his nose. Opening his eyes a bit, he was met with the sight of a Hell Butterfly resting innocently on his face. He chuckled, and the bug took off frightened by the sudden movement, to Ichigo's disappointment.

ーHey, now don't be like that. I didn't mean to scare you. I promise.

As if understanding his words, the black butterfly descended once more and now made itself comfortable on his hair. He laughed a bit at the gesture, then stood up and made his way downstairs. Diligently, he organized his papers and saved them in folders, making sure to leave everything nice and clean for when he came back.

ーHm… I hope I don't get fired on my first day. Don't you think so?

He felt movement on his hair, the flapping of tiny wings. He took that as a yes.

ーYou know what? If I don't get fired, I'll call you Ren.

More flapping. He laughed.

ーRen it is, then.


End file.
